dieback

noun

die·​back ˈdī-ˌbak How to pronounce dieback (audio)
: a condition in woody plants in which peripheral parts are killed (as by parasites)

Examples of dieback in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The rose will likely suffer stem dieback to near ground level or the whole plant might not survive. Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Nov. 2024 Some cultivars tend to be more cold-tolerant than others, like ‘Brown Turkey,’ ‘Celeste,’ and ‘Chicago Hardy,’ but even those can occasionally succumb to branch dieback. Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 21 Nov. 2024 One of the most comprehensive modeling studies to date, conducted in 2010 under the auspices of the World Bank, suggests that even current levels of deforestation, when combined with the impacts of increasing forest fires and global warming, are making the Amazon susceptible to dieback. Jeff Tollefson, Foreign Affairs, 11 Feb. 2013 Camellias are also susceptible to a number of diseases, the most serious of which are flower blight, root rot, and camellia dieback and canker. Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for dieback 

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1886, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dieback was circa 1886

Dictionary Entries Near dieback

Cite this Entry

“Dieback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dieback. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on dieback

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!